Sandy Denny - Like An Old Fashioned Waltz (1974)

Sandy Denny was an English singer-songwriter, best known for her role as lead singer for folk-rock band Fairport Convention.

In 1973 Sandy Denny recorded her third solo album, which represented something of a stylistic shift for her. It moved away from her English folk roots, instead focusing on a piano-based songs with rich string arrangements (apparently in an attempt to appeal to a wider audience). It also featured a little jazz, with with the inclusion of two old standards. All the other songs were Denny originals.

It was a fine album, and Denny put a band together to tour in support of it. However its release was delayed and the tour never took off. By the time the album finally saw release in 1974, she had actually rejoined Fairport Convention and gone on tour with them, and would stay with her old band for another studio album.

Sandy (1972) <|> Rendezvous (1977)
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Sandy Denny - Sandy (1972)

Sandy Denny was an English singer-songwriter, best known for her role as lead singer for folk-rock band Fairport Convention.

After her solo debut in 1971, Sandy Denny went on her first solo tour. The same year she also took part in a one-off album of rock & roll covers with various Fairport Convention associates, as The Bunch. Her second solo album came out in 1972 - Sandy was produced by her partner Trevor Lucas (who had been in Fotheringay with her, and was soon to become a member of Fairport Convention himself). It was a refinement of the confident folk-rock sound she had debuted the previous year, resulting in an even better album. Eight of the ten songs were originals - the covers Bob Dylan's "Tomorrow Is A Long Time", and "The Quiet Joys Of Brotherhood", a Richard Fariña lyric set to the melody of a traditional Irish tune. For this song she multi-tracked her vocals to produced a stunning choral arrangement.
Musicians backing her on the album included assorted Fairport and Fotheringay associates (including Richard Thompson and Dave Swarbrick), plus American pedal steel guitarist Pete Kleinow. Three of the songs had string arrangements, and "For Nobody To Hear" even had New Orleans style horns arranged by none other than Allen Toussaint.

The North Star Grassman & The Ravens (1971) <|> Like An Old Fashioned Waltz (1974)
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Sandy Denny - The North Star Grassman & The Ravens (1971)

Sandy Denny was an English singer-songwriter, best known for her role as lead singer for folk-rock band Fairport Convention.

Sandy Denny was born and raised in London, and studied classical piano as a child. During the 60s she began singing folk music, and performed in various London folk clubs. She appeared on BBC television in 1966, performing two traditional songs. She became known for her distinctive clear, powerful voice, and made some recordings for Saga Records in 1967 (they appeared on the albums Alex Campbell And His Friends and Sandy and Johnny, an LP shared with folk singer Johnny Silvo). She then joined The Strawbs, and recorded an entire album with them which was never released, before leaving. She also managed to get her own composition "Who Knows Where The Times Goes" recorded by American folk singer Judy Collins.

1968 was the year she joined folk-rock group Fairport Convention, who had already recorded one album. She replaced original singer Judy Dyble. With Denny on board they released three brilliant albums in 1969, and with each one they became more and more emersed in traditional English folk material, resulting in their masterpiece Liege & Lief, generally considered the most important album of English folk-rock. It was then, at the height of their success, that Denny left. She started a new band in 1970, Fotheringay, which followed a similar style but focused more on her songwriting as well as her piano playing. They did not last long, and broke up after releasing one classic album.

She then began her solo career. Her debut, The North Star Grassman & The Ravens, came out in 1971. It was an excellent album, showcasing her broad range of folk-rock styles, from traditional English material to more American-sounding numbers with hints of blues and country (among them a cover of Bob Dylan's "Down In The Flood"). Among the backing musicians were featured all her past bandmates from Fotheringay, and Richard Thompson of Fairport, plus American pedal steel guitarist Buddy Emmons. A couple of songs had string arrangements.

Most importantly this album proved her worth as an independent singer-songwriter without the need of a band. All but three of the songs were her own compositions.

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